Fremantle has secured a crucial victory in its quest for a maiden finals appearance under Lisa Webb, defeating St Kilda by 11 points in a tussle at RSEA Park.

Freo kicked seven consecutive behinds in the highly defensive game and free space was at a premium in the 3.7 (25) to 2.2 (14) result, while the Saints managed just one point in the second half.

In a rare patch of free-flowing footy, Ash Brazill kickstarted a charge out of defence in the final minute of the game, Gabby Biedenweg-Webster having more than enough time to fumble a goal through to seal the result.

It was a slow start to the game, with both sides holding up relatively well defensively. St Kilda looked the more dangerous team early, particularly when it used the wide expanses of RSEA Park to switch to the open side of the ground, but was unable to do so enough.

It took a neat sidestep and dagger kick from Nat Exon to open the goal scoring, the sole for the first term.

Brazill gave up 10cm to Jesse Wardlaw, the veteran Freo Docker defender keeping things relatively even until the Saints star earned a free kick late in the second, giving her team the narrowest of leads at the half-time break.

Wardlaw was thrown into the ruck halfway through the third term – despite the Saints having both Emmelie Fielder and Simone Nalder in their 21 – in an attempt to kick-start something through the middle of the ground.

Fremantle had dominated territory in the third term but struggled to put it on the scoreboard. Young Freo tall Ariana Hetherington had three chances to kick a goal in the third term, but missed all her shots to the right, as the visitors inched ahead, point by point.

Mim Strom controlled the stoppages, the competition's in-form ruck a constant presence all over the ground and taking a number of strong intercept marks.

Fremantle lockdown defender Jess Low laid a crucial run-down tackle on Grace Kelly as she charged towards goal in the fourth term, and Sarah Verrier also laid a crucial smother on an Ella Friend snap.

Dana East's game finished before the final siren, ruled out with concussion.

Kik-oh-ak! Tunisha's starring effort without Áine
On return from a shoulder injury, first-year tall Tunisha Kikoak kicked the goal of the match in the second term. The 180cm Tasmanian dodged around Grace Kelly's outstretched hands before kicking truly from 50m. She followed up with her second minutes later. Kikoak now has a golden opportunity over the next few months to really establish herself in the best 21.

The rise of Serene Watson
The 22-year-old St Kilda defender was a top 20 draft pick in 2019, and has properly hit her stride in her sixth season of football. Reading the ball well in defence, with steady hands overhead, Watson was a strong presence behind the footy. She is already averaging 15 touches and three marks this year (up from 10 and 1.6 in 2023), and was the Saints' best with 23, eight marks and 493m gained.

Up next
Fremantle has a rapid turnaround, playing Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Tuesday night, before flying home the following day. St Kilda faces its toughest challenge yet, with Adelaide at Norwood Oval on Friday night.

ST KILDA            1.1     2.1     2.2     2.2 (14)
FREMANTLE        0.0     2.0     2.6     3.7 (25)

GOALS
St Kilda: Exon, Wardlaw
Fremantle: Kikoak 2, Biedenweg-Webster

BEST
St Kilda: Watson, Lambert, Priest, Wardlaw, Trudgeon
Fremantle: Strom, McCarthy, Miller, O'Driscoll, Kikoak 

INJURIES
St Kilda: Nil
Fremantle: East (concussion)